The Wolfgang Press began the year with the release of Funky Little Demons (CAD 4016), which built on Queer's manifold sonic advances, and revealed an increased fascination with swampy blues and 60's soul. The down-and-dirty single "Going South" (BAD 5001) came with an array of mixes from Michael Brook, Jah Wobble and Apollo 440. But Funky Little Demons was the last record from 4AD's then longest-serving artists - as members of Mass and In Camera, all three members had been making records for the label since 1980.
University, by Throwing Muses (CAD 5002; a deluxe limited edition was available as CADD 5002) was actually recorded well over a year before it was released; it was delayed to make way for Hips And Makers, Kristin Hersh's debut solo album. University was made at Daniel Lanois' studio in New Orleans, and it was one of the group's hardest-edged efforts - "Bright Yellow Gun", which was released as a single the preceding year, picked up a solid amount of radio play.
Meanwhile Belly had travelled to the legendary Compass Point studios in the Bahamas to record their second album, King (CAD 5004; a limited-edition, with the CD housed in a hard cover book, was issued as CADD 5004), working with celebrated producer Glyn Johns (whose CV includes Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and The Who). The result was a polished, tightly-coiled set of Tanya Donelly songs that included such powerful singles as "Now They'll Sleep" (BAD 5003) and "Seal My Fate" (CAD 5007).
The fourth Red House Painters album in less than three years, and their last for 4AD, Ocean Beach (CAD 5005) was a quietly devastating record that confirmed Mark Kozelek's status as one of the finest songwriters to emerge in the 90's. As ever Kozelek's songs often ran to epic lengths, and as ever, they more than justified their span - the graceful 9-minute ebb-and-flow of the concluding "Drop" being as case in point. (A double-10-inch-vinyl edition of the album (DADD 5005) also included a cover of "Long Distance Runaround" by Yes).
As a founding member of both the Dream Syndicate and Opal, Kendra Smith had participated in some of the most influential recordings of the 80s. After a lovely solo EP in the early 90s, she'd vanished into the woods of Northern California, living in a small cabin without electricity. Ivo maanaged to broach Smith's seclusion, and persuaded her to record for 4AD. Five Ways of Disappearing (CAD 5006) was a highly individual and uniquely textured web of modern psychedelia, which climaxed with a stunning performance of Richard Fariña's "Bold Marauder". When the album was released, she made just two public appearances - a show in New York, and an in-store performance at a record store in Hollywood - before heading back to the forest. She hasn't been heard from on record since.
Ivo was also a fan of Jenny Toomey, frontwoman of Tsunami and co-founder of the Simple Machines label. He invited her to make a solo album for 4AD, and the result was Liquorice's Listening Cap (CAD 5008), a lovely, low-key record, produced by His Name Is Alive's Warren Defever - it felt like a fresh update on the singer / songwriter albums of the 1970s.
During a hiatus from Dead Can Dance, Lisa Gerrard recorded her first solo album, The Mirror Pool (CAD 5009). True to form, it was a richly orchestrated mixture of Western classical music, medieval chant and Middle Eastern influences, and it also featured some of her most radiant vocal performances.